Crash course in Mooloolaba Etchells racing for Hong Kong's Thornburrow

6:36 AM Thu 14 May 2009 GMT

'David Bedford (GBR 1332) and Mark Thornburrow (HKG 1051)on Day 5 - Audi Etchells Worlds 2006' Sail-World.com /AUS &copy Click Here to view large photo

Hong Kong skipper Mark Thornburrow will be looking to current world champion mainsail trimmer Matt Chew to help ease him into a top placing in this year's Musto Etchells Australian Winter Championship.

With an expected fleet of 50 Etchells on the start line for the 13th annual event held off Mooloolaba on Queensland's Sunshine Coast from 4 to 7 June, the 20-year class veteran Thornburrow will be battling previous World Champions, Olympians and America's Cup sailors as he competes for the highly valued winter championship title.

Thornburrow's Hong Kong team recently competed in the Audi Etchells World Championship 2009 in Melbourne. Not happy with their 26th place, the team have tacked and made the decision to put more time into racing in Australia. "We were not happy with our Worlds result which is why we have bought a boat in Australia and are doing the mid-winters. We need more big fleet experience which we don't have in Hong Kong.

"The Australian fleets are very good so we have bought a boat in Brisbane and plan on doing two to four events there each year," Thornburrow said.

They have also decided to secure the services of Matt Chew as their fourth man on board. Chew was a key member in the Queensland team of Jason Muir, Paul Wyatt and Bucky Smith who delivered a resounding win at the Audi Etchells World Championship in Melbourne in March.

With this world championship win and five previous Etchells winters under his belt Chew plans to bring to the Hong Kong team many of the techniques he used on Racer XY during the world championship. "I will be trying hard to implement these techniques as quickly as possible into our team," Chew said.

They have only one day on the water together before Thornburrow, Chew, Greg Farrell and Andy Service hit the start line. It could be tough for the team to achieve Thornburrow's targeted top five overall placing. "Greg, Andy and I are racing in Hong Kong as practice. But since we arrive on June 4 we only have that day for all four of us to sail together. Not really enough time," Thornburrow said.

Chew is not so pessimistic. Knowing that no one skipper has won the winters twice and Mooloolaba tends to deliver unexpected results for many of the top competitors, he is waiting for the end of the first race day to really assess the team's chance of success. In the meantime he will focus on helping them to learn more about the local racing conditions. "I should also be able to help out with help with teaching the team about racing off Mooloolaba. It is so random that place. I have gone from 25th to 5th to 3rd over the previous five winters," Chew said.

Musto Etchells Australian Winter Championship 2009 www.mooetchells.yachting.org.au

by Tracey Johnstone